Trust, Friends and Memories
by lovestory121
Summary: Set after 'Manhunt' Vin struggles to decide how to react to Buck and Ezra after the episode. Will he stay or will he go?


Disclaimer: I own nothing, all mistakes are mine and yes this is another story about Vin :P it should be obvious by now that he is my favourite character. Thank you to all the people who reviewed my other stories as well.

….

Ezra and Buck watched in silence as Chanu placed the cord over Vin's head. The pouch that was attached to the cord came to rest over Vin's chest and both men could see how much it meant to him. His eyes were shining with emotion. Chanu and Vin clasped their wrists together and spoke softly in an Indian dialect that neither Buck nor Ezra understood. Stepping forward, Buck handed Vin's reins to him. "Thanks Buck" Vin said the words with conviction, as if the two words were accepting the silent apology in the other man's eyes, but Buck knew that he had lost some of the tracker's trust, and trust was something that Vin did not give easily. With a sigh he mounted his own horse and followed the others out of the reservation. Vin galloped past the six several minutes later, obviously needing some space from the others. Buck and Ezra shared a look but neither of them followed him. All six of the group watched as the Black horse disappeared over a nearby hill and the sound of hoof beats got further away.

….

Nathan rode up next to Chris.

"I'm not sure it's a good idea for Vin to be out there alone."

Chris flicked his eyes towards the healer but didn't turn his head. "He hurt?"

"Not exactly, seems to have recovered fully from the strangling, but hasn't slept or eaten much seems he came out of this whole affair relatively unscathed"

"What exactly does not exactly mean?"

"Vin blamed himself for Claire's death, I told him that there was nothing that he could have done but I don't think he believed me, he's physically exhausted but the emotional turmoil of these past couple of days is keeping him up, what if he just falls off his horse out there somewhere?" He swept his hand in the direction that Vin had taken off in before letting it fall back to his side.

"Vin deals with everything alone, has done since the Seminole village and probably since before that. It's just what he does" Nathan nodded his agreement but didn't like the fact that Vin didn't share his problems as much as the others did. Nathan was a healer, it was in his nature to worry and care about other people, especially other members of the seven.

….

"We might have a problem" "Disturbing rumours are circulating" "I can't think of any reason that would make that right"

The words were echoing around Vin's head louder and louder Buck and Ezra's voices harmonizing together to swamp his mind with memories and fears. He'd never had people who trusted him unconditionally, the Indians had accepted him but there were always people in the tribe who didn't class him as one of their own. Wherever he went people thought he didn't belong, and if he was honest to himself, he also thought he didn't belong there either. But that had changed when he'd become one of the seven. They were a group of misfits but they fit together like jigsaw. At least he'd thought they had, it had changed, after the rumours about the Indians had started Ezra and Buck had both descended on him, not violently, but that was how such things always started, slowly. They doubted his ability to do the right thing in a situation where a life was at stake, it would escalate from there. He may have hidden his emotions on the outside but on the inside…his instincts were telling him to run. If they didn't trust him they could turn on him and drag him back to Tascosa to hang for the murder he didn't commit, hell it'd happened before. People who you trust are the ones who hurt you the most, so by not trusting anyone Vin was protecting himself. That way when the bounty finally did catch up with him, it wouldn't be a friendly face handing him over to the noose.

It was dark by the time Vin felt he could return to Four Corners. He'd figured that the others would have assumed that he was going to spend the night in the wilderness and leave him to it, that way he could get into Four Corners without having to talk to any of the others. His plan almost seemed to work but Chris was up waiting for him, settled into the chair outside the saloon, he stood and walked over once he recognised Vin.

"Aw hell Larabee I just want to go to sleep can't ya save your speech till tomorra?"

Chris said nothing but his eyes narrowed slightly.

"I can just ride back out" threatened Vin.

This time Chris' response was a smirk. He gave Vin a once over with his eyes seemingly checking for any obvious injuries before meeting the tracker's eyes again. Without a word he turned and headed towards the saloon. Sighing with relief Vin dismounted his horse and led him to the livery. He thought about the last couple of days as he removed the saddle and tack from his horse. He hadn't lied to Chris he did just want to go to sleep, but some of his buried fears had been dredged up from the recesses of his mind. He knew sleep would not come easy. His mind was occupied with thinking back to the event where he was betrayed by those he thought he could trust, and comparing it to the situation he is in now.

It had been just after the bounty had been placed on Vin's head and he'd turned to the buffalo hunters that he'd been riding with before for help and advice. They had known each other for years and he thought that he could trust them. Buffalo hunting isn't exactly dangerous but they had known that they'd got each other's backs. Vin had, foolishly thought, that friendship would have been more important than money to them, people he had trusted with his life, people whose lives he had saved. But the lack of buffalo in the area had seemingly impacted on their friendship and they had handed Vin over to the posse that came after him and accepted money in exchange for his life. Watching as the mob readied a noose. Not even looking at Vin tied to his saddle. With several well timed and well placed kicks Vin managed to knock the

Man with the noose away and spur his horse into a gallop. After Vin had managed to fight his way out of the mob, one of his former friends had even taken a shot at his retreating figure. Bullet went clean through his shoulder.

He shuddered involuntarily, before leaving the livery and heading towards the boarding house. He paused halfway across the street considering the building in front of him. There was not much chance of him sleeping tonight so why bother even entering the building. There was a chance of facing Buck and Ezra if he went in there, and he wasn't sure he could convince himself that he did still trust them face-to-face. He spun around and headed back to the livery, settling himself down next to his horse. On several occasions the tracker had bunked with his horse rather than stay in a hotel or boarding house, rider and animal had been through much together and he knew if anyone should approach the livery he would receive a warning from the horse. The animal seemed to enjoy his presence rather than objecting to it and both settled down for the evening.

….

Chris was up a first light. This wasn't in anyway unusual. Besides Vin he was normally the first of the seven to rise. He made his way outside expecting to see Vin somewhere around Four Corners, but he didn't see him anywhere, ignoring the sudden panic that struck him he calmly strolled to the livery to see if Vin's horse was still there. To his surprise he found Vin in with his horse, both were wide awake and staring at him when he checked the stall.

Vin raised an eyebrow "Problem Cowboy?"

Chris shook his head and leaned against one of the roof support beams.

"Thought you wanted to sleep" he replied

"Who says I didn't"

Chris sighed sometimes trying to get an answer out of Vin was like trying to describe how water tastes. It was obvious that Vin hadn't slept in fact he looked like he hadn't slept in days, which considering Nathan's words earlier was probably true. Vin's clothes were rumpled and his eyes were bloodshot, but his whole body was tense as if expecting an attack.

"Something on your mind?"

Vin shrugged in answer and Chris felt his frustration rise. He could see that Vin's mask was back in place, eyes and facial expression giving nothing away. He had noticed that over the last couple of months Vin had been less guarded around him and the others. He knew that on some level Vin had trusted them enough to let some of himself show, but it seemed that had all been undone. This is what Vin was like just after they had met him, always on guard, never saying much. Chris directed his attention away from Vin and towards the doors to the livery. Frowning as he thought. Obviously something had happened that had caused Vin to lose his trust in them and he was reverting back to his default self. Sorting through his memories of the last couple of days he tried to decide at which moment that might have happened. He came up short, having no idea what it could have been. He turned back in time to see Vin finish saddling his horse. It worried the gunslinger to see that the younger man was swaying lightly as he stood.

"I'll take first patrol" That wasn't unusual either. Vin normally took the first and last patrols, although occasionally Chris would ride with him. Chris opened his mouth to reply, but Vin was already leading his horse out of the livery. He followed after Vin and caught up just as he mounted. Vin turned to say something, his face finally showing some kind of emotion, but exactly what emotion Chris wasn't sure, it was almost like resignation. At that exact moment Buck and Ezra appeared from the boarding house and quickly headed towards Vin, neither looked like they had slept well and both yelled "Vin" when they saw the sharpshooter. Chris kept his eyes on the tracker and gauged his reaction. Although the changes were small Chris picked them up, small signs of panic and possibly fear. Buck and Ezra picked up the pace and were soon on either side of Vin's horse.

"Mr Tanner we came to offer our humblest apologies for acted in such an unprecedented manner the other day. It was not our intention to doubt your abilities or your loyalty."

Vin didn't understand what Ezra was trying to say and his grip increased on the reins, knuckles going white as he fought himself over what to do. His horse sensing the tense muscles of the rider had started to lift its feet and shuffle in nervous anticipation.

"What Ez is trying to say is that we're sorry Kid, we acted without thinking and spoke without knowing. We just hope you can forgive us for that"

Understanding dawned on Vin and his hands released their unconscious death grip on the reins. For several minutes no one spoke. The air was filled with the noises of Four Corners as the town woke from its slumber.

"It's okay" Vin's voice was quiet his drawl softer than usual. "I just thought that history was gunna repeat itself is all"

Three pairs of questioning eyes gazed up at the sharpshooter but no voices pressed for answers. With a sigh Vin turned to face Chris.

"Think you may have to find someone else to take first patrol Pard, I'm a mite tired" The eyes shifted from questioning to outright shocked, Vin never admitted to any ailments or injuries. It was Ezra who first realised what Vin was doing, showing the others that he still trusted them by lowering his guard enough to show weakness.

"Mr Wilmington and I would gladly take up the responsibility" Buck nodded and both looked to Chris for confirmation.

"You okay Vin?" Vin nodded and dismounted from his horse, wobbling on his feet as they touched the ground. Vin handed the reins of his horse to Buck and met the womaniser's eyes. "Thanks Buck" He turned to face Ezra "I noticed a campfire when I was out last night, was a couple of miles out but they are probably headed this way, figured you guys should know if you're on first patrol." Ezra took the words for what they were, and acceptance of his apology. He showed his appreciation with a salute and at a nod from Chris he and Buck headed off to the livery with Vin's horse.

"Sleeping during the day partner?" questioned Chris. Vin gave a lopsided smile, "I reckon _for_ a day is more likely" Chris laughed and walked with Vin to the boarding house, stopping on the boardwalk out front.

"However long you need"

Vin's face again showed emotion but his time he didn't look like he'd resigned himself to fate. He looked like he was hoping for a different fate and trusting in the people around him to help him fight for it. He looked away from Chris as Ezra and Buck rode by. They both tipped their hats to Vin as they passed. Vin returned the gesture before returning his gaze to Chris, and reaching out his arm. Chris caught it with his own in a warrior's wrist grip. The unspoken message was clear.

'We've got your back Vin, go to sleep'


End file.
